Month: January 2016

New Hampshire and educator John Martin are at the forefront of the competency-based learning movement. In today’s show, we’ll give you an overview of competency-based learning including some of the benefits and the problems. Whatever your school situation, by having teachers agree upon standard competencies that students master, schools can be more certain of what students know. Listen Now.

Think about it. As John says in the show, high school teachers say the kids are coming to them unprepared and blame the middle school teachers. Middle school points down to elementary. Elementary points to kindergarten. And kindergarten blames the parents. Who is responsible?

But, wow, are there some challenges! Competencies by nature remove the class rank and the coveted valedictorian’s spot. Learners are working at a different pace. Even assessment changes with competency-based learning. And when students master things quickly, in some ways, they need to be pushed to level up past the competency. John has a frank conversation about the pros and cons of competency-based learning and how his district is working through the challenges. This is an important conversation to share with curriculum directors, policy makers, and those looking to level up past standards to competencies.

Essential Questions: What Is Competency-Based Learning, Why Does It Matter?

What is competency-based learning?

What are some of the challenges teachers experience with moving to competency-based learning?

What are some of the parent complaints about competency-based learning?

What are some of the challenges for college admissions from students graduating from school that uses competency-based learning?

How does teaching change when a school moves to competency-based learning?

We need to take kids out into nature! Far too many children are growing up not seeing the beauty of nature and not learning to respect the danger. We are going to inherit the future where the only thing valued by this generation is made of concrete, rebar, and steel. The lone wildflower that springs up in the sidewalk will just be seen as a weed. We need our kids fording streams, climbing mountains, and getting down on all fours to look at an insect they’ve never seen before. Listen to the show.

According to a 2015 Outdoor Recreation report (linked in resources), outdoor recreation is at its lowest levels since the report began in 2006. Only 60% of kids aged 13-17 report ONE outdoor activity in 2014. (Adults aged 18-24 have only 56% reporting one outdoor activity!)

Today’s show is about a school that takes kids outside into nature.Many schools are canceling these nature field-trip events for safety or financial reasons. Never taking school children outside is a grave disservice to this generation who needs to get outdoors more than ever before. Let’s talk about nature, learning, and one thing we should be teaching in school.

Essential Questions: Reconnecting Your Students to the Lessons of Nature

How is an extended overnight nature experience be run by a school district?

How do you educate children on outdoor safety?

How can you raise money and secure parent support for nature learning experiences?

How does a successful 45-year outdoor nature program keep going in a budget-crunch situation?

What are the benefits from an overnight nature experience?

What technology can you use to help kids learn more about nature?

Educator Resources from this Episode

Psychology Today article by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, describing Nature Deficit Disorder and the Oxford Junior Dictionary (they took out words like beaver and dandelion and replaced them with blog and mp3 player)

Teachers go into professional development and they complain. This is boring! There’s nothing here I can use! I don’t have time to learn anything new! But these same teachers who have such high demands of those who teach them — go into the classroom and deliver a lesson that could bore the ticks off a hound dog. No pizzaz! No joy! No intrigue! WE CAN DO BETTER. Listen now.

George Couros is beginning a series of shows on Every Classroom Matters where we talk about the eight characteristics of the Innovator’s Mindset (George’s new book.) Today we’re talking about empathy. (There were so many great quotes, I’ve made quite a few images to tweet and pin to Pinterest.)

Have empathy for your students! Design awesome learning experiences. You can do this, teacher! If not, why not?

Essential Questions: Would You Want to Be a Student in Your Own Classroom?

How do we consider what learning looks like to the students?

What is an important question principals should ask themselves?

What is the pathway to create better schools?

How do we need to get past a growth mindset?

How can schools create a culture of innovation and not just have a few teachers who are on fire for learning?

Google Classroom makes sharing Google Docs, Presentations, and Spreadsheets easier. While it is not a learning management system, it is a handy tool for any teacher using GAFE (Google Apps for Education.) In today’s episode Alice Keeler, author of 50 Things You Can Do with Google Classroom updates us on the newest features. Alice says you can get set up in 12 minutes! From math class to history, you’ll learn something new. Listen Now.

Thank you JTouch by InFocus, Today’s Sponsor

My Interactive White Board (IWB) is gone, and I’m never going back. In today’s show, I’ll tell you how I’m using the Jtouch board in my classroom. It is much more than an interactive whiteboard. (In some ways it is like a massive touch screen computer.) But with Airplay and also a cool tool called LightCast, every single device in my BYOD classroom can broadcast to the Jtouch display at the front of my classroom. When I’m not teaching, I even show huge moving scenes from nature on the board. I love it. Listen to this show to learn more about how I’m using the Jtouch from Infocus or click here to see it in action. Thank you Jtouch for sponsoring today’s show.

Essential Questions:10 More Things You Can Do Easier in Google Classroom

What is Google Classroom?

What are some of the things you can do with it?

How do assignments work?

What is the lesson workflow in Google Classroom?

How can you give feedback to students while the work? (formative assessment tips)

What does Google classroom NOT do?

What are some examples of how Google Classroom is being used by teachers today.

To some people, the winter may seem gloomy and boring, but it’s really just another season that brings a ton of fun and different things to do than you usually would!

Whether you like outdoor activities or prefer to have fun inside, there is definitely something in this list for you to try this winter!

1. Winter Outdoors Activities

Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, tubing, snowshoeing; they all have something in common, and that is that cold temperatures and snow are necessary for them to happen! So take advantage of the winter season and explore these challenging and exciting activities with your friends. Only a short trip from the city and you will have so much fun in the outdoors!

2. Workshops

The time you spend learning is never wasted, and you never know what new skills you might bring into your life! That’s why it is such a great idea to sign up for workshops while it’s cold outside. You will learn new things, meet new people, and perhaps find your new passion! Crafts, sewing, music, art, English skills, self-improvement, there’s so many options!

Hot drinks, good friends, a cozy and fun atmosphere, and lots of board games. If that sentence got you excited and made you look forward to your next free afternoon, then the many board game rooms in Toronto and Vancouver will be your new favourite spots to hang out!

4. Movies, Bowling and Karaoke

If you like to keep it traditional, then there’s nothing better than going to the cinema (especially on Tuesdays, when it’s half price!!), play bowling or go to a karaoke bar! Also, watching movies without subtitles and singing songs in English are two excellent ways of learning vocabulary and improving your English through mass media.

5. Adventure-Seeking Indoor Activities

And last but not least, just the thought of these exciting activities will have adrenaline rushing through your body! Leave your routine aside and step out of your comfort zone, you’ll see how much fun these activities can be with friends, and it’s an interesting way of spending time together!

Productivity expert Dr. Frank Buck teaches us how to select the productivity tools to stay organized. Learn these seven productivity secrets to getting organized. Face it, educators have unique challenges and needs. In this show, Frank shares his “Magnificent 7” or the seven questions you should ask before you pick an electronic tool. Listen In

Productivity is a passion and hobby for Frank. If you’re struggling or know someone with a messy desk, listen to this show (or buy Frank’s book) to help them get organized.

Sometimes we have amazing people in charge; they just have horrible organizational systems. Post it notes – lists that they lose and write again and re-lose. These heroes are in hiding. They are hiding behind poor planning. We can unleash them by showing them systems that WORK.

If you care, share. We need great leaders who love kids. If they have that — they’re halfway there. But lots of leaders love children but can’t remember to show up for a meeting. None of us are born organized. And there are times we have to level up or get knocked down. If you know someone struggling with planning and organizing — help them by pointing them in Dr. Buck’s direction (or at least some direction of someone who knows how to organize!)

How can you help kids know that they matter and are important? Success in life and the world begins not just with self-esteem but with kids knowing that they matter. Angela Maiers is our guest today to talk about Mattering. Listen Now

In 2016 we will have a few guests who will be part of an ongoing series. Angela Maiers will star on “Mattering Mondays” on Every Classroom Matters. Every other Monday, we’ll release an episode about mattering with ideas and inspiration to help kids know they matter. If you want to know more, pick up Angela’s free ebook Liberating Genius and join the Choose to Matter network!

Essential Questions: Why Your Students Need to Know that You See Them

What is one of the most important things you should say EVERY DAY so kids know they matter?

Three examples of knowing kids and the impact on students and parents. (You’ll realize why it is so important.)

How can you make time for every single child every week when you’re busy and have NO TIME to add anything else?

How did Angela bridge the gap with her son after he went to college? (I am using this idea and it is working for me and my son! Wow!)